The present invention falls in the class of a multipurpose carton or container of the type having an inner container member slidably or telescopically enclosed in an outer cover member. The present invention, however, moves beyond the conventional container of this type and further includes a construction within the container portion that is useful in myriad ways.
In the prior art, the larger number of such two-part containers or cartons are found to comprise a simple container portion that is primarily a box which slips into a tubular sleeve or cover portion. Such containers are quite adequate for storage, shipping and other handling of a variety of articles, but when it comes to such handling of certain fragile products, or to using the containers for other purposes than mere article handling, the traditional containers fall short. Most such containers are not useful for both shipping and display, functioning primarily for one or the other. Such is not true with the present invention.
One of the preferred embodiments of the present invention is constructed for use as a trap for flying insects such as Japanese beetles and Gypsy moths. Most existing traps are constructed so as to be emptied as the trap fills up and then used subsequently for an extended period of time. Many of the traps are made out of metal or plastic and are frequently somewhat expensive to produce and to ship. One approach taken to the construction of such a trap is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,624 wherein the housing is formed from a single sheet of stiffly flexible material such as coated cardboard or plastic. This trap is designed to be shipped flat and constructed on site. However, because of the multiple openings into the trap portion and the design of the openings, this type of trap is less desirable because there is a greater chance that the insects can escape.
The carton or container of the present invention is, in one preferred embodiment, designed to function as an insect trap which can be closed and discarded when filled. Because of the relatively inexpensive construction and the fact that it can be shipped flat and constructed on site, it functions in an extremely economical way. As described above, the inner container member is telescopically enclosed in the outer cover member to comprise the basic construction. However, the inner container member has a unique design and includes structure that functions in many environments. Both the inner and outer members are formed from individual blanks with each blank having a plurality of hingedly connected panels and flaps. As will be more fully described below, the inner container member has top, bottom and side walls with the top wall thereof being comprised of a funnel integrally formed with the container itself. The cone-shaped wall of the funnel is formed by a plurality of overlapping flaps which terminate in curved edges that form the bottom opening of the funnel. The side and bottom walls of the inner member are closed.
The outer member is also formed of a single blank and includes side walls, a closed top and an open bottom. The cover member is slidably mounted over the inner container member and is movable from a first closed position wherein it fully overlies the container, to a second extended or open position overlying only a portion of the inner member. In this second open position, the outer cover is telescopically extended over the inner member to a point where the cover engages only the upper portion of the container. In several of the embodiments, and particularly the one used as an insect trap, the side walls of the cover include cutout portions or windows which are open when the cover is in its second or open extended position. The windows serve as entrance ports for flying insects. A lure or bait is placed in the container and after the insects have entered through the windows, they are lured into the funnel and down through the opening in the end. Once they have been trapped in the container portion they cannot get out through the funnel. Once the container has been filled, the top is pushed to its closed position which seals the container and it can be discarded.
The above-described funnel configuration in the inner container portion also functions as a cushioning device for shipping and handling of fragile articles. The article is securely seated or position in the funnel, with a portion of the article extending through the bottom of the funnel, if possible, and when the cover member is placed thereover, the article is substantially protected from damage by dropping or jarring of the container. Such a container is particularly useful in the handling of electronic equipment, electrical supplies, and other fragile and delicate articles such as porcelains and Christmas ornaments.
A further use for the present container, in a small-scale version, is to contain room deodorizers. Solid type air fresheners and deodorizers are generally packaged in plastic packages that must stand on a shelf or other surface, or the deodorizers may be in packages which can be adhesively mounted on a closet wall or the like. The present carton allows for packaging the air freshener in a closed container until used. At that time, the outer cover member is pulled into its second open position, and the deodorizer which is mounted in the center of the inner container emits a fragrance through the windows of the cover member.
In all of the above mentioned embodiments, a unique and valuable feature of the present invention is a locking means that prevents the full removal of the cover member from the container or inner member. A tabular projection on the inner surface of the outer member engages a niche on the surface of the inner container to retain the cover member in a telescopically extended position.
A primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a multipurpose carton/container of the type described herein. Other and further objectives will become apparent as the following detailed description is studied in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.